Herbster



Sept. 30, 1952 G. HERBSTER VENTILATOR Original Filed May 23, 1941 v BY 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR. GEORGE HE RB STER 6 A; M. I

Sept. 30, 1952 G. HERBSTER 23560 VENTILATOR Original Filed May 25. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvmon. GEORGE HERBSTER VENTILATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 23. 1941 INVENT OR. GEORGE HERBSTER 3 4 J a m E f In AH E IF l1 n 53% i1 G. HERBSTER Sept. 30, 1952 VENTILATO R Original Filed May 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

GEORGE HERBSTER G. HERBSTER Sept. 30, 1952 VENTILATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 .x fl fl w %m w 7 1 x. 7 f m k a ha 4 I J J 7 4 I ,4 a; m w a a a w o a w m 1 a LL Q W L6 0 w II I. 6 ll 6 I a W W 6 J v a m a m a W M 7 H M. W 7 a a a a 2 1 s W 2 Z w w z 6 6 a I. a a a INVENTOR GEORGE HERBSTER ventilator; Y

keissued Sept. 30, 1952' OFFICE VENTILATOR George Herbster, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, mesne assignments, to Barber-Colman Company, Rockford, Ill.

Original No. 2,355,294, dated August 8, 1944, Se'-' rial No. 394,811, May 23, 1941. Application for reissue June 19, 1952, Serial No. 294,524

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a ventilator, and particularly a ventilator for door panels and other walls of a room in which an opening is provided affording passage of air into and out of the room. The present invention is an improvement on the inventions shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 381,874, filed March 5, 1941, now Patent #2,378,012.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a ventilator in which both the amount of air and the velocity of the an admitted can be controlled.

Another object is to provide a ventilator affording a relatively direct passage for air through the opening with which the ventilator is associated andwhich obstructs vision through the opening in all positions of the ventilator.

Another object is to provide a vision obstructing ventilator for a wall opening and which obstructs vision through the opening except at a limited location at which substantial visibility is 'afiorded through the ventilator in one direction only. 1 g

A more specific object is to provide a ventilator having decorative grills which are exposed at one orboth sides of the wall and in which the control of the air passage therethrough is effected by relative movement of various portions of the decorative grill itself. I Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification wherein reference is made to the drawings in Which Figure 1 is a sectional view throughthe axis of a ventilator embodying the principles of the present invention and showing the ventilator installed in a door panel; Fig. 2 is an enlarged axial sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a view of the rear face of one of the grills and is taken along the line 33 in Fig. 1; Fig.4 is an axial sectional view similarto Fig. 1, showing a modification of the structure of the Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the damper of the ventilatorillustrated in Fig. 4; r

Fig. .6 is a diagrammatic plan view of a number of the ventilator vanes, illustrating the construction thereof Fig. Fl is'a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig- 5;

Fig.8 is an end elevation oi'two adjacent vanes illustrated in Fig. 6, and showing the position of the same when the ventilator is closed; Fig. '9 is a plan view of one of the damper vanes; 'Fig. 10'is' an axial sectional viewsimilar to Fig.

. 2 1, illustrating another modification of the invention, and I Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary axial sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10. Referring to the drawings, the ventilator is shown connected to a wall having an opening through which air can be admitted or discharged. The wall shown for purposes of illustration is a door panel I having an opening 2 therethrough, the opening preferably being circular.

The ventilator comprises an inner grill, designated generally at 3, and an outer grill 4. Since the grills 3 and 4 are the same in all respects, the grill 3 only is described in detail.

Referring for purposes of illustration to'the grill 3, this grill comprises a plurality of frustoconical vanes arranged with their smaller bases toward the wall opening, and preferably in substantially the same plane and with their larger bases disposed away from' thewall opening. The grill 3 has a central vane 5 with a plurality of intermediate vanes 6 and an outer vane. 1. The vanes are arranged in coaxial relation with respect to each other and are spaced apart radially so as to provide passages 8 forair therebetween.

Referring to one of the vanes S as, typical of the vanes, it comprises a metaleannulus stiffened at the periphery of its larger base by a suitable bead 9. The vane 6 has a wall In convex outwardly from the axis of the .vaneadjacent the periphery of the large base, then concave, and finally convex at and adjacent the smaller base, as indicated at H, and substantially cylindrical at the region of the smaller base.

The vanes are preferably so disposed that the convex wall portions of each are exposed almost opposite the convex wall portions of the other in a direction at right angles to the path oftheair therethrough so as to reduce to a minimum the possibility of exposing the interior of, the ventilator to an observer. Likewise, on the inner base of each vane is a'cylindrical portion or extension 12 which extends inwardly and terminates'a short distance fromthe median line of the Wall opening.

The annular vanes are secured in thedesired radially spaced and coaxial relation to each other by means of a supporting spider l3 whichis better illustrated in Fig. 3. This spider comprises a plurality of radial arms ll having rearwardly extending flanges l 5. The extension [2 of all of the vanes except the central vane 5 areslit from their ends and the metal thereof folded back to provide a notch for accommodating the arms, the folded metal providing ears [6 which liehin juxtaposition to the arms [4 and are spot welded that the ends of the flanges fit snugly againstthe peripheral wall of the wall opening 2 at its diameter, as indicated at H. The portion of the arms I4 beyond the ends of the cut-back flanges engages the surface of the wall adj'acentto the opening, as indicated at 18. For decorative purposes, the outermost vane '1 has a reversely extending outward extension (9 which, when the f ventilator is assembled in the wall opening, bears 1 against the wall surface a distance radially out-. wardly from the opening. The grills 3 and 4 are the samein all respects and 'are fastened on oppo site sides of the wall in axial alignment, each.

vane of one grill being aligned with a corresponding vane of the same size of the other grill.

In or am the ri ls i a os n h y againstthe wall while they are centered in the ope in ythe ends of t e f n e a rigid openingof the central vane 5 of the grill 3 and the corresponding-centralvane of the grill 4, the spider vl3 and the spider of the grill 4 having corresponding central openings for affording passage of the tubular member 20. The member as is provided with an integral outwardly extending flange 2|, at-the end which is disposed to the outer side ofthe wall. Ihe tubular member 25 isrinsertedfro-m the outer side, or from the grill 4 in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l, and extends through the central vane of the grill 4, thegrill spiders, and the central vane 5 ofthe grillt3; The tubular member 29 is threaded at its inner end and is secured fixedly in place by aninternallythreaded cap 22 which is tightened sufflcientlyi to draw the grills and the spider extensions l8 firmly against theopposite sides of thewall. I. 1

sides of thewall providing airpassages which are angularly disposed to eachother at acute anglesvision from one. side of the wall to the otherl through thegrill is completely obstructed.

Howevenit: is often desirable, especially in apartmentsiiand outside" doors that the occupant of the room be able toseefthose at the outside and ofteniit'isequally desirable from the standpoint of-the'occupant' thathe cannot beseen by an outside-party. "For thispurpose, the outer'end V of the tubular member 20 is left open. At the inner end, a one-way mirror 23 is interposed between the endof the tube'and the overhanging'flange 24 of the cap 22 and. drawn securely against the innerfe'n'd of the tube, a suitable resilient gasket being interposed to protect the mirr-on if desired; The mirror is positioned with its reflecting face outwardly so that the party to. v the-right of the-ventilator, in Fig. 1 cannot see through the tubular member 2:) but the occupant ofthel'r'oom can seethrough tothe outside.

Referring next .to Fig-.- 4, a pair 'ofgrills 38- and 3| are 'provided, these grills beingarranged upon oppositesidesof the wall, or door panel, 33. The grills aresubstantially-the same as that described in connection with Fig. 1' except for a damper tubu a -member 2.0 s plaeedt s ac n r n is apparent that with the grills at opposite slightly modified spider is used. The modified spider '38 of the inner grill is provided with a supplemental bracing spider 31. Between the spiders'36 and 31 is provided a space for accommodating damper vanes later to be described. A

tubular member 38 is rotatably mounted in the spiders 36 and 31 and is internally threaded for fastening thereinto the central vane 39 of one of the grills of the ventilator, the central vane being somewhat modified to provide a knob for rotating the tube 38. A one-way mirror 40, similar to the ,mirror 23, is interposed between suitable shoulders on the inner end of the vane 39 and an internal shoulder in the tube 38. Thus upon rotation of the vane 39, the tube 38 is rotated. Mounted on the tube 38 are a plurality of radial damper vanes 4 I, all of which, with the exception of the right'hand vane 42, are rotatable on the As better illustrated in Fig. 6,

sleeve tube 38. each of the vanes 4|, and also the vane 42, is provided at one end with an extension 43 which is bent downwardlyat its end and folded back against the face of the metal to provide 9, lug 44 as illustrated in Fig. 7, this lug being arranged at the trailing end of the associated blade inthe direction of rotation for closing. At its leading and in the direction of rotation for closing the damper is a. lug 45 which is coplanar with. the blade and is preferably in the form of a slight radial extension of the metal. Thus by rotation of theright hand vane of the group, the lug 44 of each blade engages the lug 45 of the, next suc ceeding blade and draws it along with-it on its path of rotation. Thus by rotating the central vane 33, all of the damper blades .41 and the damper blade 42 can be moved from a relatively stacked position fanwise'about the axis of the ventilator, thus closing the passage between the grills. Upon rotation of the vane 42 in the Opposite direction to open theventilator, the lugs 44 successively engageeach other and move the blades to the relatively stacked position illus trated in Fig. 4.

, the spiders engaging the wall adjacent to the,

- openings.

Referring next to Figs. 10 and 1.1, ventilator adapted to control not onlythe total amount of i the openings but to reduce the openings proper.-

tionately is illustrated.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 10 andll, the

outer. grill comprises a pluralit; of vanes such as heretofore described including a central vane 50, intermediate vanes 5|. and an outer vane 52, these vanes being arranged in coaxial spaced relation to each other. At their inner ends, the vanes '50, 5| andu52 have axially elongated cylindrical sleeve portions 53, 54 and 55'. The inner, grill comprises a centralvane 56, intermediate vanes 51, and an outer vane .58, which likewise'have ine tegral cylindrical sleeve portions 59, wand 61,, the sleeve portions of the corresponding vanes or the inner grill and outer grill being telescopically mounted with respect to each other so thatgwhen the outer'grillis supported in place in: a; door opening, each: vane. thereof supports a. corresponding. inner vanev of the inwardly; disposed grilL: Thus each of the vanfisfijfiiil and Qff'the of the central vane.

to the wall, such as the door panel 61, a frame member 58 is provided for the inner grill and has inner grill the proper distance.

and one end thereof overlies the flange 13.

inner grill can be moved axially while maintained in coaxial alignment with the corresponding vanes of the outer grill. This arrangement is such that the vanes of the inner grill can be moved inwardly until each engages the radially outward adjacent vane, thus completely closing the passage between the vanes.

It is desirable, however, that each of the pas-.

,sages through the inner grill beopened and closed a proportionate amount with the other passages of the inner grill so that both the amount and velocity of air therethrough can be controlled. For this purpose a difierential move-j ment device is provided and operatively connects all "of the vanes of the inner grill to the central with a slightly loose flt, with reasonable. play, through openings or slots 64, 65 and'56 in the radially outer vane 58, and the intermediate vanes 51, and into a similar aperture in the cen- "1 tral vane 56. Thus, bymovement of the central vane inwardly and outwardly, each of the other vanes is moved inwardly and outwardly in a -manner such that the passages between the vanes are increased and decreased about the same amount relative to each other for all movements In order to secure the grills an inwardly extending wall 69 on which the pivot 63 is supported. The inner wall terminates in a flange which is arranged to lie against the inn-er face of the door panel 51 for locating the Secured to the radial flange 10 are braces 1| which extend parallel to the axis of the grill and which are of sufficient length to extend through the opening beyond the opposite wall of the door panel. This assemblage is made prior to installation.

The outer grill is assembled on a suitable spider 12 having at its outer ends flanges 13 which are aligned radially of the grills with the outer end of the bracket 1| when the grills are installed. A framing member 14 is secured to the spider 12 A supplemental framing member 15 is provided and has a radial outward flange 16 aligned with the flange of the frame member 58 when the grills are installed in proper alignment. The supplemental framing member, 15 also has an inner flange 11 adapted to abut the outerwall of the frame member" when the grill and frame members are installed.

18 are'provided for the purpose of the grills in operating position. A v

Next the supplemental frame member placed in position with the screwho-lesinthe flange 18 thereof aligned with corresponding holes in the flange of the member 58 andb'olts 8| then are passed therethrough and'drawn tightly in place by nuts 83, the nuts being'arranged on the inside of'the door. device is assembled in proper position;

Instead of the one-way sight heretofore pro.- vided, a plate 84 is'secured across the bottom or inner base of the central vane 5|) of the outer grill and this plate is provided with a'relatively large aperture 85. A plate 86 is secured in the smaller base of the vane 56 of the inner grill and has a much smaller aperture 81 therein, the

apertures 85 and 81 being axially alignedfwith Thus a relatively wider range of each other. vision is afforded by looking from the aperture 81 through the aperture 85 than in the opposite direction and substantially no vision is provided through the small aperture 81 from outside the door.

From the foregoing it isapparent that a'grill is provided which is decorative, afiords adequate passage of air and by which the volume and velocity of the air admitted or discharged can be controlled. Furthermore, the grill obstructs vision through the opening with which it is associated, except for the special one-way visibility afforded to the occupant of the room. j

Havingthus described my invention, I claim: 1. A vision obstructing ventilator for an opening in a wall and comp-rising a pair ofgrills, each grlll comprising a plurality of generally frustoconical annular vanes, means supporting. the vanes in coaxialrelation to eachother and spaced apart radially from each other to define annular passages for air between adjacent ,vanes;;}'the vanes having their smaller bases at th'e inner end of each grill and their'larger bases "atj'the brackets 1|, is inserted in the opening in proper position and temporarily held in proper position by the brackets 1|. 'Next the outer grill is positioned in place, the vanes thereof being telescoped relative to the vanes of the inner grill. In this position the flange 13, the overhanging edge of the frame member 14, and the outer end of the bracket 1| [and] are aligned with each other. A bracket 18 is positioned so that one portion overlies the outer end of the bracket 1| and through the [brackets] bracket 18 and bracket 1| and flange 13 and the frame member 14, a suitable screw 19 is inserted. The bracket 18 is then secured to the door panel by a suitable screw or other means 88. It is to be understood that a plurality of the brackets 1|, flanges 13, and brackets outer end, the radially outward edge of eachvane lying radially. outwardly beyond the radially [in- Ward edge of the next adjacent radially outward vane, said grills being adapted to overlie the opening when they are disposed in" axial alignment on opposite sides of the wall opening withjtheir inner ends facing each other, 'w naow.;means in the center vane affording greater vision therethrough in one direction axially of' the grills than in the opposite direction, and means securing the grills .in axial alignment with their-innerends facing each other. ;1

2. A vision obstructing ventilator for an opening in a Wall and comprisinga pair of grills,feach grill comprising .a plurality of frusto-conical annular vanes arranged in coaxial relation to each other and spaced apart radially from, each other to define annular passages for air betweenladja- 1 cent vanes, said grills being adapted to overlie the opening when they are disposed in axial alignment on oppositesides of a wall opening, and

, supporting members connected to the grills for supporting the vanes thereof in said coaxial relation and extending radially beyond the radially outermost limits of the vanes for engagement with the opposite faces of the wall adjacent the wall opening, and means connected to the grills for drawing the same relatively toward each other to effect clamping engagement of the members with the wall.

3. A vision obstructing ventilator for an opening in a wall and comprising a pair of grills, each grill comprising a plurality of generally Imam-- Thusl the U y rd edgfe of each yaneilying radially glyfifiwa .1

rdly beyondthe radially inward edgejof fthe 1 adjacent: radially iontwa'rd .vane, fsai ills in adapted to overlielthe' openingiwh are disposed' ir axmi iignmemisn op'po ot the wall operiing tyith'jtheir .i iner ehds facing ea othr} 'me'cemra1waues of ,thegrilLhaving llgiie central apertures, a rigid tubefco'n ct the rills and -e earis for; eon iecltinggthe oth'ei'jerid oi fthe tub tQthec'entralYVane offthebther 4.,Aye'nti1ato .f'orfan opening in a. walland ,9 "prisiriig' a pair. offlgrills, Ieaeh grill comprising lurality ,oi generally frustoeconical .Taniiiilar means u pomn the vanes eoaiiial' rea to each otherv andlspacedaparti radially from each other to define annular "passage's ofor ir betweenvadjacent ,va nes, the vanes'having an ei'r larger bases at the"'outer endfthe" radiallyw outwar'dled'ge of each vane lying radially utw'a'rdly. beyond. theiradially inward edge or .the ext adjacent radially outwardjvane, f'said grills eing adaptedgto overlie the opening when they I alignment withtheir inner ends facing each other, and damper means interposed between the grills aligned passages of the grills.

' 5. a grill comprising a plurality of coaxial va o n a and closed positions. I ,1

' f6. A'ventilator for an opening in a wall and comprising a pair of grills adapted to be located at'opposite sides of such opening in alignment therewith, each grill comprising a plurality of generally f rusto-conical annular vanes arranged *ln" coaxial relation to eachother and spaced apart I? fradially fromeac'h other to define annular pas- ,sages' mrmr through such wall opening: between adiacent vanes;the vanes having their smaller bases-at the 'inner'end of the grill and their if' largerbases at the-outer end of the grill the radially outward edge of each lying'radiallyoutwe rdly beyond the radially inward edge of the neizt adjacent radially outyvar'd vane, meanssupoaxi wim the grill's, aridhaying nds open and aligned with the aper iir'es',"

'rrial lerv bases at theinnerend of the" grill ere disposed inait'ialalignment on opposite sides y. of the wall; opening with, their inner ends facing w ,each other, means" securingfthe grills 'in axial ,L'ffor controllingthe passage of air through the annular vanes spaced apart radially and so a17 j nesof t e sl-111,

{Isl 4'1 ,5 H f rneans for telescopically supporting thevanes' of [1,,theother giillfor aiiial movement offt of "said other grill relatively warm ne t r iiQn=W re $ne ,7 0 e h 1 ventilator for an 7 1 ope ing a Wall and. f "comprising a plurality off generally frnsto-conical 'niiular vanes, in;coaxialrelatiori to ac dfnorrnally spaced a 'a'r radially a V her to, defineannula assages forfaii between adieee itfiranea a d "the' -srhallerb'a'ses' of thevaries at ar se-15a iifthef'rill arid'theii 'lafger s at, the pther fend-and 'xivith" the 'i'adially tygard' edge reach vane lyiiig radially dutwardly beyond the-radiallyinward' 'edge f net t' adjacent radially outward vane; means suprtin'g the variesin said coaxial relation-'and 'for inde p eln ent axial movemena difieremia irfoven ntfniearis operatively connect the' vai'ies to e central vane forflmove'men of the'vanes I xiallyto their open'positions' upo-n movement of the centralyane' to 'o ehpp ition, said 'difierntial: "movemn'tfrneans comprising a rod-"eonnct 'fjd' to the centralwane for swinging thereby upon axial maven-lent of the central vane',-*means iyotally f'suppor'tin'g" therbd 'to' swing about" an xis'positioned radi'all'ybut'v'vardly from the vanes ridbiiteiidiri'g 'inf'a direction' l'jp'arallel -to] at right "angles to the axis' of" the grill; and' nieans cor'inectingthe remaining vanes to''the Trod at iifei ent distances from the pivotal axis; 'respec- 152; ;r' .1 'IT' a 3 -'"'L 1 GEORGFHERBSTER.

1 REFER];Nola s CITED. I

are-of record in the dt n La Decpll, 1883 Oct; 14, 1902 L Sept, 29,1914 1926 1,650,444 1927 ,1; "1,676,140 1928 1,737,610 1929 f 2,125,454 Marshall= Aug. 2; 1938 2,139,502 Johnston Feb; 6,1940 :"2,229,747 "Kurth J an; 28; -1941-- 551 12,252,264 Kurth 1941 2,255,850 Kurth semi-1611941 2,258,731 "Blumenthal; Oct.;l:4;i1941 2307,586 1" Herbster':- J an. 5,--1943 1 M Number ;Country: 1 Date 193,496 Great Britain 1 Feb 2111 1923 365,048 Great Britain Jan.= 11 l932 501,402 Great Britain Feb 1939 

